“Thinking isn’t agreeing or disagreeing. That’s voting.” – Robert Frost

I’ve never held a right so high as the right to vote. Fortunately for me, women’s suffrage afforded me the ability to not just vote, but also run for elected office should I desire. I don’t desire, not ever, but I am grateful that I have the opportunity to vote especially as so many women across the globe are not held to the same standard.

Today is a midterm election and I will not use my blog to highlight the attributes, be they positive or negative, of any person or measure on the ballot. Instead I would just prefer for this to serve as a reminder that being able to vote is such a huge right. Don’t take it for granted.

There are a lot of things a young child looks forward to when she gets older. Getting a driver’s license, being able to wear make up and high heels, a bit shallow but I did look forward to it. I suppose; however, that the one thing I looked forward to the most was the fact that once I turned 18, I could register to vote. And that’s exactly what I did on my birthday, a sort of birthday present to myself. I drove down to the election commission office in Anderson, SC, completed the paperwork, and became a registered voter.

Thankfully, my 18th birthday fell in 1993. If I had turned 18 in 1992, I would have been able to vote in that presidential election and being young, naïve, and eager to follow the “cool” crowd, I would have possibly made one of my biggest voting mistakes of all time…voting for Bill Clinton! Yep, that’s who my choice was back then. Like I said, I wasn’t too terribly bright back then. I’m sorry! That wasn’t meant to be a jab at all you, Clinton lovers. Relax! It’s all in good fun. You got your boy in the oval office, womanizing and everything. Alright, I’m stopping now!

Back to the purpose at hand with the blog. So many people feel like their vote doesn’t count so here’s the analogy I like to use: If you have a broken arm, but don’t go to the doctor to try to fix it, then SHUT UP! You have no right to complain if you’re not going to do something for yourself, even if it is choosing an oncologist for a broken arm. Even if you make a bad choice, you’re still putting forth the effort to try to fix it. Voting is the same way. If you feel our government is broken, then VOTE! Try to fix it, get involved, but don’t whine about it.

Franklin Roosevelt, easily one of my least favorite presidents, said it best:
“Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”

So, get out and vote today people! Polls are open from 7am – 7 pm. If you’re unsure about where to vote or any rules that may have changed, then go to this website:
http://www.canivote.org/